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The High Country sent over 100 volunteers to assist with disaster relief to the various attack sites following the September 11th attacks eight years ago.

Executive Director of the Watauga County Red Cross Sonny Sweet said the Red Cross and members of the local North Carolina Baptist Men sent volunteers to New York and our nation’s capital.

Sweet said High Country residents were among the first to react to the attacks and explained, "They were at the Pentagon the next morning serving food. That’s how fast they reacted to that.”

Sweet said many local mental health specialists also went to New York to help.

Sweet said residents who couldn’t physically go to the attack sites gave what they had to help with the relief effort.

Sweet said, “A little over $100,000 was sent to the disaster relief fund. People wanted to do something and the easiest thing for everyone to do is to give blood, and I’ve never seen so many people show up to give blood.”